Bath cabinet



J. E. PAYNTER Oct. 14, 1930.

BATH CABINET Filed Sept.

17, 1929 3 SheetsSheet l MAW MITI:

Jaim E. Puff: Zen

l ff n FJ".

.m m ZA/14H1@ e ----.,.:---------m W Q R Tsi W Qn"N xLvl, y. 'Nw H w 5 V m llI-lllllllllllllllllll Filed Sept;

J. E. PAYNTER BATH CABINET Filed Sept. 17, 1.929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 L\\ E E; amonio@ JO171 llpjner Patented Oct. 14, 1930 PATENT OFFICE JOHN E. PAYNTER, F KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI BATH CABINET Application led September 17, 1929. Serial No. 393,206.

This invention relates to bath cabinets and particularly to metallic bath cabinets and the bath cabinet which forms the subject-matter of this application is particularly designed for the application to the human body of steam, moist air and vapors and fumes from mineral-s, chemicals, oils or the like.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a bath cabinet which is made entirely oil metal and in which the vapors or fumes are generated by an electric heating element used in connection with a heating or vaporizing tank disposed in or at the bottom of the cabinet and discharging vapors into the interior thereof.

A further object is to provide a bath cabinet of this character wherein the vapors from the vaporizing tank or chamber are discharged into a duct disposed at the bottom ot the cabinet, this duct being provided with outlet openings and with chambers controllable by the patient himself, whereby the amount of fumes or vapors discharged into the interior of the cabinet may be regulated. A further object in this connection is to provide means whereby the patient himself may control the'electric heating element or whereby the heating element may be controlled from the exterior of the cabinet by a nurse.

Another object is to provide a cabinet of this nature with a seat for the patient adapt- `ed to be vertically adjusted, arm rests either stationary or adjustable mounted upon the sides of the cabinet and a back rest mounted on the rear wall ot the cabinet and a neck or shoulder rest mounted on the Walls of the cabinet and formed as a part of the cabinet and defining the rear portion of the opening through which the neck and the head of the patient are projected.

Another object in this connection is to provide a door tor the cabinet which is formed in two hinged sections, the lowermost section being hinged to one wall of the cabinet so that it may be swung out in a horizontal plane, the upper section being hinged to the lower section for movement in a plane at right angles to the plane of movement of the lower section and the two sections being so formed as to have vapor-tight engagement with the walls of the cabinet and in this conne-ction to provide a handle for the upper section which may be manipulated either from the exterior or interior of the cabinet so that the patient may open this upper door if desired.

Another object is to provide means for draining the water or condensation from within the cabinet and provide a cabinet with a drain pan for collecting this water, but provide a supply tank for the vaporizing chamber or tank so connected thereto as to maintain a constant level of liquid in the Vaporizing tank and generally speaking to provide a metal bath cabinet which is compact in form, may be relatively cheaplyconstructed, is light, and is thoroughly eiigective for the purpose intended.

@ther objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a side elevation of a bath cabinetconstructed in accordance with my invcntion;

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof;

Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6 6 of Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a 'fragmentary vertical section through the heater;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the seat;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the connection between the damper and the damper operating rod.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the bath cabinet has a rear wall 10, side walls 11, and a top wall l2 and that the cabinet is supported by means of swiveled casters 13 of standard construction permitting the 4cabinet to be readily shifted in any direction to a point where it is desired to use it. The cabinet is also provided with feet adapted to (ill be turned downward so es to engage the floor and hold the cabinet steady as will hereafter appear. The front o" the body of the cabinet is designated 14 ind extends inward from the upper corners of the side walls, the inner edges of the front wall being downwardly und inwardly extended et an angle to the vertical plane :is at 15 to :i point above the floor of the cabinet. The side wells 11 at their rear ends preferably lieve a height ot epproxin'nitely l) inches and the cohinet is approximately twenty-seven inches wine. The top Vall 12 :it its side ed es zipproxinnitely li'liteen inches wide. the upper edges oi"- the side Valls l1 then extended dovnwnrd and lorward to the upper end it the Vfront well le :1s at 16.

The front of the cabinet nornnilljv closed by a. door fornied in two sections 17 end 18, the section 18 bei 1g hfnged to the upper end of the section 1T so that he section 1S may be turned over upon the section 17 as illustrated in Figure 3. The hinges lire dei g neted 19 and ine-.y be either strep hinges or pieno hinges, but the joint betweni the two sections is closed enough to prevent. the eser-.pe ot' 7spor. rllhe inner trice ont the upper section 18 provided with "ie vertically disposed handle 20. The n 17 is hinged to one ot the side wells 11 hy ineans oit hinges 21 so that this lewe? section inay swing laterally in n horizontal plane. A hook or other l: tehing device 22 is used to keep the lower section closed i the side walls.

The lower section et' the door has n. width slightly greater than the extreme width or the ce iinet :int` is provided wi th inwardly e2;- tending flanges 2S :ind a ini rdlyY extending bottoni flan {,e 2 wlne when the door is elosed. en 1 c t abinet,

the flange :ai lsi..

the door. hns Jernied. i;tendsi per section l o s l5 y 1, cab xral flanges 26 a exterior races et per section of t clined portier with nn inwn A upper end ot he @oor section 1h. i. section, :is heitere remarked. is hin swinging nniveinnt with the lor-fer section but inajlepenijlcnt swinging niovenier in a vertical plane. rlChe object in providing these llnnges is vto divert the moisture collected on the inner surface of the door section 17 to :iped to en, the side wnhe door is closed #Li di. v.nw is o i. ..it slcc u .1. n dly extending ll:

:it the door the inside orp the cabinet to iind its wey into the drip pan hereinetter described by the portion 14 of the cabinet. The top 12 of the ce ii et has z straight rear edge, but the forvard edge is curved rearwardly and down- Verdl7 flanged es et 30 (see Figure 2) to torni n neck rest or shoulder support. This tlenge is approximately three inches deep :1t the iniddle of the top plete 12 but decreases in width as it nenrs the lateral margins of the plate. rThe ilzinge extends dewni 'ard and inwnrd and constitutes i rest for the neck or tor the shoulders of the patient.

Riveted or otherwise attached to the latcra vfalls of the Cabinet :ire the erin 31 which :ire unguler in torni and inay be ina de oi any suitable nziterinl but :ire pretcrzlhly lornied of sheetmetal.

lisposed below the r.rn1 rest.) if) is :i seat supporting tronic designated generally 23;. This is rectangular in forni has a length nearly equal to that or". the cabinet und :it its ends irovided with the upwardly extendA ing Fill-shaped hangers designated generally 33, the cross bnr of each hanger et its treinities being upwardly curved to v.torni lof. 34 envagezible with any one ot n plurrl i ot pr rs ot hooks pr iocting troni the wells i A. L .nieteriah brit i vhi f ii 'itrzil opening 39. This opening il!) hes been pro vided tor the purp se ot p l i5 i 1 'n plete :ind thorough local ti i dunes in (such :is il li-ttifhi.

eral., chemical or oil viii )rs und casses oi piles, hemorrhoids, listulu inail. tistul; coccyg'eal i'istulu, tec:

fistula, O d3 inenorrl en, ete). etal, the sent support is flanged ,i .euhm .ine ica., weer ro ohwo ov 1i the nietnl traine 32. .l pnennnitic cushion l i central. opening' is designed to be raving ised upon sent it desired.

lt will be seen that the sont supporting i. :une ,muy be raised or lowared to'snit the height et the ifiatient nud bring his shoulders in. correct position with relation to the upper cud oli ie bath en hinet. /lbove the sent :ind extending trui srersely of the bath cabinet. is :i beck rest consisting; of :i strip o1 sheet inetul end designated 40, this beck rest be 'ng flanged at its ends to provide feet 4:1 riveted, welded or otherwise attached to the beck oit the cabinet. rlhc middle of the heel-r rest is preferably curved to lit the brick of n. patient.

Mounted upon the outer face of the rear iis wall of the cabinet is a liquid supply tank 42 having a filling opening in its top closed by an air-tight cap 43. Below this supply tank and adjacent thelower end of this cabinet is a boiler or vaporizing chamber 44 preferably of met-al and preferably rectangular having in its rear wall an opening 45 and connected to the tank 42 by means of the vertical pipe 46 which extends from the bottom of the tank 42 and extends into the chamber 44 above the bottom of the chamber. The pipe 46 has in its length a coupling or union 47 and also has in its length the valve 46, which valve may be used as a cut-olf valve when the union 47 is disconnected. The top of the boiler' or vaporizing chamber 44 is provided with the lid 49 hinged slightly inward from the rear wall of the vaporizing chamber and the rear portion of this vaporizing chamber abuts against the rear wall l0 of the bath cabinet. The vaporizing chamber is formed with the opening 45 so that vapor or fumes arising from the ch amber 44 may be discharged into the interior of the cabinet. A mineral supporting pan 5l may be disposed within the vaporizing chamber.

It will be seen that inasmuch as the pipe 46 has its lower end disposed normally just beneath. the liquid level in the tank 44, that liquid from the tank 42 will only tlow into the chamber 44 when the liquid level therein has lowered below the lower end of the pipe 46. Then just suliicient liquid iiows into the chamber as will cause the lower end rof the pipe to be covered. Thus a constant level of liquid is maintained within the vaporizing chamber 44.

lhile I do not wish to be limited to any particular means for heating the liquid in the chamber 44, l preferably use electrical means for this purpose and to that end l have provided an electrical heating element 52 of any suitable character. I design this to have a length equal to the length of the chamber 44 and to extend longitudinally beneath this chamber.

Disposed below this heating element is a pressure plate designated 53. Apertures are provided at opposite ends of this plate 53 and opposite ends of the heating element whereby screws, bolts or other means may be used for attaching the heating element and the plate to the bottom of the chamber 44. The pressure plate is formed with an opening 54 giving access to the electrical terminal 55 on the heating element. A pad of non-heat conducting material such as asbestos, this pad being designated 56, is used beneath the pressure plate and between the pressure plate and the floor for the purpose of preventing the heat of the heating element from marring or burning the floor.

The bottom of the cabinet is formed by a drainage plate 57 which has an area equal to the cross sectional area of the cabinet and which may be flanged for attachment to the walls of the cabinet either by welding or by riveting. This drainage plate is slightly concave and has a discharge opening 58 at its center. Disposed below the drainage plate and disposed in the opening in the Vfront wall of the cabinet is a drain pan 59 whichv receives any water draining through the opening 58. Disposed above the drainage plate is a plate or bridge 60 having downwardly extended, lateral ilanges 61. This bridge or plate 60 has a length equal to the depth of the cabinet and is removably disposed within the front and rear pairs of cleats 62 attached to the front and rear walls of the cabinet.

This plate 60 constitutes a distributing duct for any vapor entering the cabinet from the boiler and to this end, the side walls of this duct formed by the flanges 61 are formed with a plurality of apertures 63. Hinged to the lateral margins of the plate 60 are the dampers 64 formed preferably of angular strips of metal, the hinges being designated 65 and being disposed upon the inner upper margins of the dainpers 64 and being attached to the upper face of the plate 60. These dampers when closed swing down over the openings 63 and prevent the escape of vapor therefrom and when open permit the escape of vapor. The dampers are controlled by the patient himself by vertically disposed control rods 66 mounted. on the side walls of the cabinet in guides 67. The guides may frictionally engage the rods 66 so as to hold the rods in any adjusted position or separate adjusting means may be provided for this purpose. The rods adjacent their lower ends are detachably connected to links 68 extending from each rod to a corresponding damper. The link 68 is connected to the operating rod 66 in order to permit the bridge to be removed from within the cabinet for cleaning and to permit the floor of the cabinet beneath the plate or bridge 60 to be cleaned.

A foot rest 69 rests upon the upper face of the bridge plate 60 so that the patient will not have to rest his feet upon the more or less heated bridge plate. It will be seen that all of the vapors or fumes generated within the boiler or vaporizing chamber 44 are discharged into this duct formed by this bridge plate 60 which thus acts asa distributor to uniformly distribute the fumes or vapors and that the inlet of vapors or fumes to the interior `of the cabinet may be controlled by the patient himself through the action of the dampers 64.

The electrical connections to the heater 52 may be of any suitable character but the circuit which includes the heater also includes preferably an electric lamp acting as a signal lamp .and designa-ted 70, which circuit also includes a three-way switch 7l disposed upon (Jil li-SU Cil the interior ot the (.fabinet, ay switch of like charzuter upon the exterior ot the cabinet and designated 'l2 and also includes au electrical unit. 73 at the back ot the cabinet. rlhe switches may be in the foi 'n of rheostats for the purpose ot coutrollinn he amount of current to the heatingr element or cutting` olf this current entirely, this current being capable ot being` controlled by the patient himseli"l or by the nurse. The lamp TO, et course, indicates whether the current is on or off. A thermometer 74; is disp sed upon one side wall ot the cabinet or at any other convenient point so that the nurse can see just how much heat beingl applied and the tank 42 will be provided, ot course, with a gauge glass T5 whereby the height ot the water or other liquid within the tank 42 may be in dicated.

For the purpose ot holding` the sheets, towels or other textile coverings over the opening` at the top ot the cabinet and around the noch of the patient, I mount upon the top wall ot the cabinet adjacent the rear thereof, the approxiniately lil-shaped guards 76. These are pivotally mounted so to swing in a horizontal plane and have their tree ends turned upward. rflic-se guards may be turned with their tree ends "forward, their free ends laterally, or their tree ends rearwardly. By the use of these guards, the sheets or turkish towels are so held above the shoulders of the patient allowing more thorough treatment oi them and by providing complete and direct contact ot the steam or mineral vapors with the p )er tissues of the shoulders.

The guards may be swung` around to t ie rear when it is not d :ed to use them to support the towels or sheets. 'lfhe upwardly hooked ends 77 ot the guards are designed to bool; beneath the liungics 27 ou the upper end of the upper door section i8. @t course, it will be understood that the openingv at the top ot the hath cabinet through which the patient extends his neck is covered with a sheet or towel which drapes about the cabinet and around the patient`s nccli and prevents the escape ot. the strain, moist air, mineral, chemical and oil vapors or tumes.

llretcrably the lower end ot the cabinet is provided with supportingtoet designated `generally 78, these feet ea ch including` a barrel 79 having the attaching ears SO by nieans ot which they may be secured to the cabinet walls :uid having` a rubber toot Si carried at the lower end ot the barrel by a pin S2 which is shii'table longitudinally through the barrel. By application of pressure to the upper end ot the pin the rubber toot at the lower end thereoi may be forced downwardly into contact with the floor so that the body may be raised to take the weight thereoil otll of the swiveleci rollers 3l so that accidental movement ot the cabinet will be prevented.

This cabinet is capable of application to the human body ot' steam, moist air, mineral fumes or vapors, oil tuines or vapors and chemical fumes or vapors, these itunes or vapors being generated in the chamber est. The pan 5l may be for any desired minerals or chemicals desired to be used. The bridge or plate 60 is removable tor the purpose of cleaning` both the inside surfaces ot this plate and the bottoni of the bath cabinet and tor repair and replacement, rl"he handle 2() on the upper door 1S is disposed inside of the iu per door when the upper door is closed or outside when the door is opened. Thus it may be used by the patient troni the inside and by the operator from the outside to close the bath cabinet.

All moisture either trom perspiration or troni w or con densa tion will tlow down on. to drainage tloor 5T and then be directed into the draininp pan rEhe wiring` for the electrical heatingelcnient and for the signal. lamp will, ot course, lie contained within a suitable conduit and will le properly insulated.

ln the use of the cabinet, should a patient be atiectel with hemiplegia (paralysis ot' one side ot the body) or any other unilateral condition, it will be possible with my system ol damper control to supply vapors and 'fumes first and in ,fri-eater volumn to the affected side by keeping;` the damper open on the ali- 1fected side, while the damper on the unatl'ected side kept closed.

lil-,Thilo l have illustrated certain details oi construction and arrangement of parts which l have found to be particularly ettective in use, oi" this cabinet, I do not wish to be limited thereto as many changes might l made within without departing` trom the spirit oi the invention as defined in the ap pended claims.

l claim l. A bath cabinet having` side and rear walls and a top wall, the upper edges ot the side walls being downwardly and forwardly inclined, a door constituting part ot the tront wall oit the cabinet and formed ot a` lower section and an upper section hinged to the lower section, the lower section being' hinged to one ot the side walls for lateral swinging movement and having latching nieans, the lower section extending` up to the forward corners ot the side walls7 and the upper section beinp adapted to engage against the. downwardly ,inclined edges ot the side walls, the top wall ha ring' an arcuately curved edge face termed to provide a shoulder recess.

2. A bath cabinet haring side and rear wa ls and a top wall, the upper edges ot the side walls l'ieinp; downwardly and forwardly inclined. a door constituting part ot the trout wall and formed oit a lower section and an upper section hinged to the lower section, the lower section being hinged to one of the side falls for lateral swinging movement and V all@ 'imi having latching means, the lower section extending up to the forward cornersof the side walls, and the upper section being adapted to engage against the downwardly inclined edges of the side walls, the door sections having marginal flanges adapted to engage over the side walls.

3. A bath cabinet having side and rear walls and a top wall, the upper edges of the side walls being downwardly and forwardly inclined, a door constituting part of the front wall and 'formed of a lower section and an upper section hinged to the lower section, the lower section being hinged to one of the side walls for lateral swinging movement and having latching means, the lower section extending up to the forward corners of the side walls, and the upper section being adapted to engage against the downwardly7 inclined edges of the sidewalls, the door sections having marginal flanges adapted to engage over the side walls, and the upper and lower door sections having inwardly and downwardly extending flanges at their upper ends.

4;. A bath cabinet having side and rear walls and a top wall, the upper edges of the side walls being downwardly and forwardly inclined, a door constituting part of the front wall of the cabinet formed of a lower section and an upper section hinged to the lower section, the lower section being hinged to one of the side walls for lateral swinging movement and having latehing` means7 the lower section extending up to the forward corners or" the side walls and the upper section being adapted to engage against the downwardly inclined edges of the side walls, the front wall of the cabinet having an approximately V- shaped opening therein truncated at its lower end and the lower section of the door having inwardly extending flanges corresponding in shape to the shape of said opening and fitting against the edges of the front wall defining said opening.

5. In a bath cabinet, a vaporizing chamber, mounted upon the rear of the cabinet and discharging thereinto, means for maintaining a constant level of liquid within the Vaporizing chamber, means for applying heat to the vaporizing chamber, a duct extending forward andrearward adjacent the bottom of the cabinet and having lateral openings into which the vapor Lirom the chamber discharges, laterally disposed dampers hingedly mounted within the cabinet for cont-rolling the discharge through said openings, and operating rods mounted upon the walls of the cabinet and connected to said dampers whereby the dampers may be raised or lowered.

G. In a bath cabinet, a vaporizing chamber mounted upon the rear of the cabinet and discharging thereinto, means for maintaining a constant level of liquid within the vaporizing chamber, means for applying heat to the vaporizing chamber, a` duct extending forward and rearward adjacent the bottom of the cabinet and having lateral openings into which the vapor from the chamber discharges, laterally disposed dampers hingedly mounted within the cabinet for controlling the discharge through said openings, and operating rods mounted upon the walls of the cabinet and connected to said dampers whereby the dampers may be raised or low-erd, said duct being removable from within the cabinet for cleaning and the operating rods being operatively and detachably connected to said dampers. 4

7. A bath cabinet having therein a seat, the upper end or the cabinet havinU an opening Vthrough which the neck of the patient may extend, the top of the cabinet at the rear end carrying upwardly and downwardly curved sheet or towel supports, the towel supports being pivoted for movement in a horizontal plane.

8. A bath cabinet having therein a vertically adjustable seat, the walls of the cabinet having attached thereto arm supports and the rear wall of the cabinet having an inwardly curved shoulder support attached thereto, the upper end of the cabinet havin@ an o enin' through which the neck of the patient may extend, the rear wall ot said Opening being downwardly and inwardl flanged to provide a neck and shoulder rest, the top of the cabinet at the rear end carrying upwardly and downwardly curved sheet or towel supports, the towel supports being pivoted for moven'ient in a horizontal plane, the free ends of the towel supports having upwardly extending hooks and a door 'for the cabinet having an inwardly and upwardly inclined section having-a downwardly extending flange through which hooks may engage.

9. A bath cabinet ha vin-.0r its walls of sheet metal, the front wall of `he cabinet being shorter than the back wall and being formed with an approximately J -shaped opening,

ythe side walls at their upper front corners being downwardly and forwardly inclined, the top wall having its forward edge i` wardly curved from a point coincident with the upper ends of said inclined portions of he side walls, a r t, llicdoor formed in t vo sections and const fr a part of the front wall oit the cabin t, v`e iowerinost section being hinged to the wall of the cabinet for swinging in vement in a horizonta plane and having flang embracing the outer faces kof the at walls of the cabinet` the inside face of the lower section having an approximately s -shaped strip adapted to extend into the t -shaped opening in the front wall of the cabinet, the upper section being hinged to the lower section and movable in a vertical plane and being formed to extend over the inclined portions of the side Walls and having inwardly extending lateral flanges engaging eXteriorly of said side walls.

l0. A bath cabinet having therein a seat, the upper end of the Cabinet having an opening through which the neck of a patient may extend, said opening being formed with downwardly and forwardly extending` Hang es to provide a neck and shoulder rest.

ll. In a. bath cabinet? a vaporizing Chainber, a duct extending forward and rearward adjacent the bottom of the Cabinet and having lateral openings into which the vapor from the vaporizing chamber discharges, lateraily disposed dempers hingedly mounted within the cabinet for controlling the discharge through said openings, and operating means disposed within the cabinet whereby the dempers may be opened or Closed.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiix my l signature.

JOHN E. PAYNTER. 

